Rohin Dharmakumar, CEO of The Ken, joined the rant on the exorbitant prices of a cab ride to the Bengaluru airport, triggering a fresh debate on commuter problems in the city.
“A ~1 hour Uber to Bengaluru airport costs 60-130% the price of a ~1.5 hour flight to Mumbai,” he wrote on Twitter and shared screenshots to support the same.
Many jumped in to agree and said that the airport being an hour and a half away from the city, on average, is an inconvenience, however many others pointed to alternatives that were easier on the pocket.
Also read: New way to reach Bengaluru airport under ₹35 from Friday: Memu express special trains
“Bengaluru is expensive city no doubt but cab aggregators are not the only option people have. 1. Cheapest, Use Indian railways airport link train & shuttle bus. 2. Use BMTC & KSRTC airport bus & fly bus. Time taken & comfort will not be compromised. These two are best options other than cabs,” a Twitter user wrote.
Srinivas Alavilli from Janaagraha, a non-profit organization, tweeted, “Try the bus. @BMTC_BENGALURU Bus to Airport ₹290 available from all major localities at good frequency.”
Meanwhile, another Twitter post on the same issue was a complete contradiction to Dharmakumar’s post. “I flew from Pune to Bangalore yesterday. Since timing was convenient, I took the suburban rail from Airport station to Byappanahalli. The fare was an unbelievable Rs.10. The journey was comfortable and the train was a just a little late. Finally an option (besides road) is available,” a Twitter user called D T Devare Subhash wrote.
Read: Airport Train Yatra : Call for air travellers to use MEMU trains in commutes
Many netizens also gave this example to Dharmakumar, saying, “You can reach city from the airport for just ₹10 (Rupees TEN only). Whatever you are paying for the taxi is the convenience charge. Second best option is BMTC Vayu Vajra Volvo buses.”
Bengaluru authorities have introduced new ways for commuters to reach the airport quicker time and again, with the South Western Railway (SWR) launching five new pairs of MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) trains from Bengaluru in late July, which will take commuters as close as 3.5 kilometres away from the Kempegowda International Airport with fares at just ₹30 to ₹35 per head.
Moreover, Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), the operator of the Bengaluru airport, also runs a free shuttle service between the halt station where the MEMU trains stop, and the airport terminal for last mile connectivity and to make commute easier for both airport employees and passengers.
